Yellow House Music Offering Music Together For Big Kids

September 12, 2013

Yellow House Music, which has offered Music Together for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and "the grown-ups who love them," since 2009, is expanding class offerings to include children ages 5, 6, and 7 with the new Big Kids classes.

Music Together Big Kids classes begin on Saturdays in September at Infinity Performing Arts in Jamestown. Big Kids is a one-hour class geared to the interests and abilities of 5-, 6-, and 7-year-olds. The program blends the elements of Music Together's original curriculum for young children with new activities, skills, and challenges that are developmentally appropriate for this older age group.

Karen Suber, known as Ms. Karen to her families, began Yellow House Music in 2009 to share her love for the program and for working with young children in a musically rich and playful environment.

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"The program is geared toward anyone in early elementary, regardless of music experience or whether or not they've taken Music Together classes," Suber said. "The Mixed-Age classes I teach [for birth to kindergarten ages] have helped so many families enjoy music-making as part of their children's daily lives. As the kids get older they need to be inspired in new, exciting ways. Big Kids provides a nurturing peer environment for these ages where they can learn musical elements using structured activities, but in the playful way that is still so essential."

Big Kids classes encourage young elementary age kids to develop and enrich strong music skills, including Music Literacy, that will serve them well for their entire lives. The curriculum includes solfege, solos and ensembles, dancing, harmony-singing, vocal development, and drumming and activities such as conducting, improvisation, story songs, and game songs. Each child is encouraged to participate at his/her individual comfort level.

"No matter your goals or your child's goals musically," Suber continued, "Big Kids is a perfect fit in preparation for private music lessons, in complement to private lessons or school instruction, and just to encourage your child to become a strong, comfortable music-maker for life."

Parent attendance is welcome but not required for this age group. Each student receives a Big Kids songbook, CD, solfege cards, and HomePlay activities, so that the entire family can continue the fun and learning at home and parents can stay connected with what their child is learning in class.

Big Kids classes begin Sept. 14 at Infinity Performing Arts, 115 E. Third St., Jamestown. Late registration accepted through Sept. 28. For more information on classes and links to Music Together's Big Kids video introduction, visit www.yellowhousemusickids.com. Those interested may contact Suber at 499-4628 or yellowhousemusic@gmail.com.